


Rough night

by xNovilunium



Series: Milo's story [7]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst, Hospitalization, Other, lot of tears
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-06
Updated: 2019-03-06
Packaged: 2019-11-13 00:02:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18021023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xNovilunium/pseuds/xNovilunium
Summary: Forehead pressed against the machine, Akela pushed a button waiting for it to fill a second cup. How many had they drunk since they came here? He had lost count after three and judging by the look the nurses had given him when he’d walked past their office, it had to be a lot. But he didn’t want to go home and sleep. Not when Milo still hadn’t opened his eyes. And so did Maeva.





	Rough night

The corridors were too white to his liking. And too quiet. Even when a nurse or doctor would enter a patient’s room, they would do it as quietly as possible. To not bother the said patient, or the ones in the other rooms. Or people like him, close friends and family members waiting for their loved one to wake up. For the luckiest. 

Forehead pressed against the machine, Akela pushed a button waiting for it to fill a second cup. How many had they drunk since they came here? He had lost count after three and judging by the look the nurses had given him when he’d walked past their office, it had to be a lot. But he didn’t want to go home and sleep. Not when Milo still hadn’t opened his eyes. And so did Maeva. 

As he grabbed the cup, he set his eyes on the back of his hand where a shade of purple had started to spread. His trophy. A memory of what had happened only a few hours ago. The only good thing he had done since many, many years. Damien’s bloody nose and split lip, his sickening grin he wanted so much to rip off his face, Adeline’s screams at the sight of her brother, her words – so cold and painful – as she couldn’t believe it, Maeva running upstairs, Lylian holding him back or else he was certain he would have killed him. He remembered the cops taking Damien away, Adeline following him, and how hard it had been for the paramedics to take Milo inside the ambulance even with Maeva close to him. 

They should have been warier, should have kept a closer eye on Damien since this wasn’t the first time he got into trouble with the law. Adeline and himself had been too young at that time to know the difference between what was real and what wasn’t. He was family. They had trusted him beyond doubt despite his habit of making people uncomfortable with his remarks. Just like he had done with Milo. 

Akela opened the door with his forearm and closed it as gently as he could. Maeva hadn’t moved a finger, still sitting on the chair beside the bed, Milo’s hand safe between hers. He gave her a cup, put a quick kiss at the top of her head then walked to the window, leaning against the edge. It was still pitch-black outside. 

Maeva sniffed, and quickly wiped her cheeks when he looked at her, but the tears came any way. Eyes red and swollen, she couldn’t look at anything else other than Milo. She hadn’t left his side either, since they put him in that room. When Akela came here after he’d driven all of their guests back home – their initial plan to let them stay overnight had fallen through with the incident – he had found her lying beside him, tears staining her face. 

“You should go back home, Maeva,” He said, the cup empty. “You need to sleep.” 

“No. I have to stay.” Her lips trembled as she spoke. “He’ll be scared if I’m not beside him when he’ll wake up.” 

“He won’t wake up before a few more hours. I’ll stay.” 

She shook her head, eyes closed. Her thumb brushed his cheek in slow movements and as she wiped her eyes once more, she spoke again. “They had to sedate him because he was thrashing around too much, and even violent. With them. With himself. I should have stayed with him. Not you, not anyone else. _Me_.” 

“It’s not your fault Maeva, you know it.” 

“I’m supposed to take care of him,” she set her eyes on him for the first time in the last couple hours. “What kind of friend am I if I can’t protect him? He’s like my baby brother, I should have stayed with him. I should have stayed with him…” 

Akela reacted immediately. He walked to her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, telling her once more it wasn’t her fault, that she shouldn’t blame herself. She should rather put the blame on Damien, he was the only one at fault, and maybe even Adeline and himself. The girl Damien had been dating had withdrawn her complaint at the time – why, he had no idea, maybe out of fear – so they all had thought she had lied. They had never known him to be the violent type, the complaint had been a huge surprise for all of them. But what happened earlier proved him that the man he thought he knew like the back of his hand, the one who had let him play with his toy cars and let him watch the night sky through his telescope, was the worst piece of shit he had ever known. 

He let go of Maeva only once tears stopped running down her cheeks. Akela pulled out a pack of tissues from his pocket and gave it to her then got to his spot at the window again. 

“So,” He started after a long moment of silence, trying to break the ice. “Virgil and Lylian? Last time I saw them they weren’t a thing.” 

“They just needed a good kick in the ass to confess. Might give you some ideas.” She looked at him, a single tear still clinging to her lashes, and gave him a faint smile. 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” 

“I know you did more than talking with him in the garden. Lou saw you, and she told me.” 

“You didn’t say anything.” 

“I trust you. Even when I now should be suspicious of every man around him.” Maeva looked at Milo. “I know you would never hurt him. Or anyone.” 

_But I’m not in love with him and those kisses were a mistake_. He wanted to tell her that but couldn’t find the courage to. They barely knew each other anyway, and Akela was still recovering from his breakup. He was doing better already, but some wounds needed more time to heal. 

And Milo wasn’t even his type. 

* * *

The sun had started to rise when Maeva yawned loudly, making him smile. She had more and more trouble keeping her eyes open, and dark circles under them. She stood up, stretched her back and started to pace in the room in order to keep herself awake. It was easier said than done though. 

“Please Maeva go home.” Akela said as he caught her in his arms. “Call Adeline. You can’t even stand on your legs.” 

“I can’t leave him.” 

“I’ll stay, and I promise I’ll call you as soon as he opens his eyes.” 

Maeva frowned and worried her bottom lip between her teeth. “Okay.” She said in a sigh after a while. 

Fifteen minutes after, she was gone. 

Akela took her place on the chair and laced his fingers with his. A detail caught his attention, one he hadn’t noticed before. Bruises on his throat. More bruises. Again. As if Milo hadn’t had enough of them during the past few weeks. Akela couldn’t understand why someone as nice as Milo had to go through all that pain. First his father, now this. And this was only the beginning. His path to recovery would be long and maybe painful, but he wouldn’t be alone. 

He should have stayed with Milo. He should have dried his tears and fallen asleep beside him. They would have spent the night together in a warm bed, then waken up hugging each other and with a hungover for Milo. Not here. Not with their mind full of ‘what if’s. No one could rewind time, no one could know what tomorrow will bring. The only thing they could do was to wait. Milo would eventually wake up, and talk. 

Akela left the bed to go put the blind down, but a whine stopped him. 

“Easy there, Milo,” He cupped his cheek, his thumb dancing on his skin. “Wake up, it’s okay. You’re safe.” 

His eyes snapped open, chest heaving and hands clutching the bedsheet. He didn’t dare to move, nor look away. Akela’s eyes seemed full of worry and relief, but he couldn’t trust what he was seeing. He wasn’t in his room, wasn’t at home, and as the memories filled his mind, his body started to shake. As nice as Akela had been with him until now, Milo couldn’t ignore the fact that he was Damien’s cousin. He might as well be just like him and his behaviour towards him could only be a façade. 

“Don’t touch me,” He swatted his hand away as tears spilled over the sides of his eyes. “Leave me alone please.” 

“Milo it’s only me,” Akela tried to wipe his tears, but he swatted his hand again. “I won’t hurt you, you know that.” 

“Go away!” 

Akela kept on telling him everything was fine, that he had nothing to be scared of, that he shouldn’t be scared of him, but whatever he would say Milo didn’t want to hear it. He tried to take him in his arms, tried to reassure him, but the more he was trying something, the more Milo was panicking. He hit him, pushed him away, begged him to leave. 

Alerted by the screams, two nurses came into the room and forced Akela to leave. 

This wasn’t what he’d wanted. He had never wanted to scare him, never wanted to be the cause of one of his panic attacks. What would Milo think of him now? Would they still laugh together? Would they still have fun together? He needed time, Milo only needed time. Akela repeated this sentence in his mind like a mantra. Milo would be alright. 

He ran a hand through his hair, then took his phone and called Maeva. As he had promised. He didn’t even have time to tell her Milo was awake that she mumbled a quick ‘coming!’ before hanging up. Soon after – quicker than what Akela had expected – he heard her call his name as she ran to him. She was alone. 

“Can I see him?” She asked to the nurse beside Akela who had waited for her. “Is he okay?” 

“We had to give him another sedative, but he’s awake. I give you ten minutes, he needs to rest.” 

“Thank you. You come with me?” She asked Akela. 

“No, I don’t think it’s a good idea I go back in there.” As he could see question marks all around her, he told her what happened before her arrival. “I think I’ll go back home, pack my stuff and go back to my place. I appreciate your hospitality, but I’m not sure Milo will be alright sharing his room with another man now. I don’t want to scare him more.” 

“But you know you did nothing wrong.” 

“I know, but I think it’s better like that.” A sigh crossed his lips, eyes focused on the door. “Keep me in the loop?” 

“I will.” Maeva hugged him and thanked him before watching him leave, hands in his pockets. 

She closed the door slowly behind her when she stepped inside. Milo was sitting this time, hands on each side of his body, his head turned to his right looking through the window. He squeezed her hand hard when she sat on the edge of the bed, harder as he turned his head and saw her. 

“Hello sweetie.” Maeva smiled at him, fingers barely touching his forehead helping him to get his hair out of his face. 

He raised his arms towards her, almost hesitant, his cheeks wet with tears once more. Maeva wrapped hers around his shaking body, a hand already running through his hair and felt a lump in her throat as his tears soaked her scarf. He was holding her so tightly, almost crushing her bones, but she said nothing. He had no will to let her go, and neither did she. 

Milo apologized more than a hundred of times between two sobs. For not talking before. For spoiling the party. For being a burden once again. And no matter how many times Maeva denied it, he still told her he was no more than a burden to them. His cries broke her heart, and she felt her blood boil at his next words. 

“I couldn’t tell you before, but last night wasn’t the first time,” His voice broke and more tears ran down his cheeks with each word. “He said he would hurt you and Adeline if, if I say something. I’m, I’m so sorry…” 

Maeva held him harder than she’s ever had, telling him she was there for him. She wouldn’t leave him alone again. Not when he needed her. Not when she now knew the real reason of his behaviour. Why he had avoided her many questions that day, why he had always faked being alright when deep inside he had only wanted to talk. 

Her eyes were filled to the brim with tears of rage she didn’t want to let fall. And as she rocked Milo back and forth, she promised herself to make Damien pay. She would make sure he’d get what he deserved.


End file.
